Benefit to raise money for Collier House maintenance costs

McHENRY – A retreat for families in crisis is the beneficiary of fundraiser set for Saturday.

The Collier House benefit includes a spaghetti dinner, raffles, silent auctions and live entertainment from Just Duet. St. John’s Northwestern Military Academy color guard will post the colors, and its Silver Rifles Drill Team will perform.

It will be from 5 to 7:30 p.m. at the McHenry Veterans of Foreign Wars Post, 3002 W. Route 120, McHenry.

The cost is $15 for adults, $10 for children 4 to 9 years old, and the event is free for those 3 years old and younger.

Tickets do not need to be bought in advance.

Collier House is a two-bedroom retreat that provides free, short-term housing to families in crisis, including the families of young adults in recovery or the Gold Star families of military personnel who died during the War on Terror.

Proceeds from the event will go toward maintenance and upkeep of the house, said Sandy Barcus, Collier Barcus’ mother and the nonprofit’s president.

The long-term goal is to raise enough money to pay off the mortgage.

The nonprofit that operates Collier House was founded in memory of U.S. Army Spc. Collier Barcus of McHenry, who was killed in action July 8, 2004, while stationed in Iraq.